ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, chairman of a key party in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition, has stressed the need for judicial reforms and the establishment of a constitutional court to ensure swift and impartial justice in the country, his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said on Monday, despite criticism from lawyers and opposition parties.
The statement came weeks after Pakistan’s government sought to get a package of 52 history-making constitutional amendments passed in parliament, but did not present it after failing to secure the required two-thirds majority needed for them to pass. The proposed amendments are expected to establish a federal constitutional court, raise the retirement age of superior judges by three years and modify the process for the appointment of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The matter has raised widespread concerns among lawyers, opposition parties and independent experts who say the moves are aimed at increasing the government’s power in making key judicial appointments and dealing with the defection of lawmakers during house votes. But Bhutto-Zardari said the country’s judicial system had failed to deliver justice to the victims of terrorism, with judges unable to secure convictions in 50 percent of the cases, highlighting the dire need for judicial reforms.
Speaking to lawyers affiliated with his party in Quetta, the PPP chairman recalled that his late mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, had promised in 2006 to introduce judicial reforms and establish constitutional courts to ensure swift justice for the people, but the reforms remained pending despite other achievements.
“The current political environment presents an opportunity to realize this component,” he said, presenting his party’s proposed draft for constitutional reforms, which included the establishment of constitutional courts at the provincial level.
“While the PPP does not have the majority in the National Assembly to pass constitutional amendments on its own, the party will work toward a consensus-based draft that aligns with its manifesto.”
The statement came a day after hundreds of Pakistani lawyers urged judges to distance themselves from the proposed federal constitutional court in the country.
“An assault on our Constitutional compact is being cloaked in the thin garb of arguments grounded in the supremacy of law. These are arguments that do not withstand the slightest intellectual scrutiny, given any serious consideration,” a group of over 300 senior lawyers said in an open letter addressed to the judges of high courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
“We urge you — the judges of our constitutional courts — not to recognize this proposed court if such a bill is passed. We urge those of you who may be hand-picked to serve on it not to do so. Complicity will be no defense of the Constitution: it will be its defacement.”
Last week, Aqeel Malik, a government spokesman on legal affairs, said Pakistan’s ruling coalition would table the constitutional amendments package in parliament in the first week of October.
The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has alleged that the amendments are an attempt to grant an extension to incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who is widely viewed to be aligned with the ruling coalition and in opposition to its chief rival, the PTI.
Bhutto-Zardari, however, called for the reform of the judicial appointment process, stating that the 18th Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan introduced a procedure whereby the judiciary would make recommendations, but the final decision would be made by a parliamentary committee with equal representation from the government and the opposition.
He expressed hope that there would be consensus on these reforms and announced plans to engage with bar associations across the country.

ISLAMABAD: Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim will arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday on a three-day visit to strengthen ties in trade, connectivity, energy and other sectors, the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday.

Pakistan and Malaysia enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, rooted in shared Islamic values and historical ties. Since 1957, they’ve fostered economic cooperation, defense collaborations, and cultural exchange. The Pakistan-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement of 2008 boosted trade and investment, while regular high-level visits have solidified their partnership, underpinned by mutual respect and trust.

The Malaysian prime minister will be undertaking the visit from October 2-4 on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif, according to the Pakistan foreign office. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Malaysian ministers, deputy ministers and senior officials.

“Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim will hold meetings with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.

“The two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia ties in diverse fields including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, halal industry, tourism, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.”

During the visit, the Pakistani foreign office said, both sides will also discuss regional and global developments. “This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia relations,” it added.

Bilateral trade between both countries was recorded at $1.5 billion in 2023-24. The major exports of Pakistan to Malaysia include rice, condensate oil, onions, potatoes, home textiles, corn, seafood, and meat, palm oil and its products, petroleum, LNG, computers and laptops, nonwoven wadding, and fiberboard, according to the High Commission of Pakistan in Malaysia.

Tourism between both countries has gained momentum over the past few years and Malaysia currently ranks among the top tourist source countries to Pakistan. Around 160,000 Pakistani nationals were residing in Malaysia and over 3,800 students from Pakistan were also enrolled in Malaysian higher education institutes, making the country the third largest source of international students in Malaysia.

Pakistan is also one of the major workforce source countries for Malaysia in various key sectors including plantation, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and services, it added.